Ohio Career Development Association

10/06/2026

Have you ever considered how many jobs exist that you don't know about? Welcome back to part 4 of OCDA's "Cool Careers" series!

Throughout these posts, you will learn about some of the potentially lesser-known yet important careers that exist in our world!

Next up in this series, we have Sterile Processing Technicians!

Did you know? 🤔
🥼 A sterile processing technician is a healthcare professional who prepares, installs, assembles, cleans, and sterilizes all the healthcare and laboratory equipment used in medical exams, surgeries and other clinical procedures (Indeed).
🥽 This role is important because these professionals use sterilization processes to ensure that instruments, equipment and supplies are safe for reuse across patients (Indeed).
🧬 A Sterile Processing Technician is a healthcare worker in a non-patient care role
🧪 The median salary is $60,558 per year but can vary based upon location, role, and certifications (Indeed).

Have you ever thought about the roles in healthcare that are not patient-facing? Did you learn something new? Let us know in the comments!

09/07/2026

🚨 Friendly Reminder: Registration Is Still Open!

There's still time to join us for Advancing Career Readiness Through Policy: OCDA Government Relations Committee Progress & Policy Updates on September 10 from 12:00–1:00 p.m. ET.

Learn how advocacy, legislative engagement, and policy awareness can help career professionals strengthen services, build partnerships, and advance career readiness across Ohio.

Hear from Sarah Jan Tausch and Newton Kimberly as they share updates from OCDA's Government Relations Committee and practical ways to engage in policy conversations that matter.

📅 September 10, 2026
🕛 12:00–1:00 p.m. ET
💻 Zoom information will be emailed to registrants

✅ Secure your spot today!

09/01/2026

📣 Registration is Open!

How can career professionals help shape the future of career readiness in Ohio?

Join OCDA on September 10 from 12:00–1:00 p.m. ET for:

Advancing Career Readiness Through Policy: OCDA Government Relations Committee Progress & Policy Updates

Presenters Sarah Jan Tausch and Newton Kimberly will share updates on OCDA's advocacy efforts, legislative engagement, and policy priorities, along with practical ways career professionals can get involved and create meaningful impact.

✨ Learn about recent Government Relations Committee accomplishments
✨ Explore tools for advocacy and policy engagement
✨ Discover strategies for strengthening career pathways and partnerships

📅 September 10, 2026
🕛 12:00–1:00 p.m. ET
💻 Zoom details will be sent to registrants via email

Register today!

06/03/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the OCDA Conference! We were so excited to host the conference in Northwest Ohio for the first time, and we’re incredibly grateful you came and helped make it such a special event.

05/29/2026

What a way to kick off Day 1 of the OCDA Conference! 🎉 From incredible sessions during the day to keeping the energy alive into the night, it’s already been an unforgettable start.

A huge thank you to the Visit Greater Lima team for being such phenomenal hosts and making us feel so welcome. We can’t wait to see what Day 2 brings! ☕️✨

05/28/2026

Thank you to for the trolley tour of downtown Lima!!!

05/28/2026

05/27/2026

Speaker Spotlight: Aaron Sturgill from Ohio University

Join us at the OCDA Conference: Reimagining Career Readiness: Building Pathways to Impact, taking place May 28–29, 2026, at the Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center in Lima, Ohio.

On May 29, Aaron Sturgill will lead a session titled “From Overwhelmed to Action-Oriented: A Brain-Based Approach to Career Development”. This session will introduce key Brain-Based Career Development (BBCD) principles and demonstrate practical strategies such as chunking, prioritization, and feedback loops that help move individuals from overwhelm to focused, action-oriented progress. (BBCD) offers a neuroscience-informed framework that helps practitioners structure career conversations in ways that reduce cognitive overload and increase engagement. By the end of the session, participants will understand how the brain processes career decisions and will be able to apply brain-based strategies to strengthen career readiness conversations across counseling, education, and workforce settings.

Not registered yet? Secure your spot today: https://ocdaonline.org/registration

05/26/2026

Speaker Spotlight: Erika Hill, Owner of Careerlog

Join us at the OCDA Conference: Reimagining Career Readiness: Building Pathways to Impact, taking place May 28–29, 2026, at the Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center in Lima, Ohio.

On May 29, Erika Hill will lead a session titled “The Mindset Bridge: Using Daily Reflection to Anchor Career Readiness in Work-Based Learning”. This session introduces a 30-day framework of interpersonal reflection designed for early career professionals. We will explore how the framework—delivered either as a pre-start "Mindset Prep" or an "Onboarding Navigator"—equips students to decode office culture, manage ambiguity, and track their contributions. Attendees will receive a practical toolkit to help students shift from passive observers to proactive contributors, ensuring they maximize every work assignment for long-term career impact.

Not registered yet? Secure your spot today: https://ocdaonline.org/registration

05/25/2026

Speaker Spotlight: Crystal Newman and Terah Campbell from NCUS TEC

Join us at the OCDA Conference: Reimagining Career Readiness: Building Pathways to Impact, taking place May 28–29, 2026, at the Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center in Lima, Ohio.

On May 29, Crystal Newman and Terah Campbell will lead a session titled “The Work Within: Refueling the Practitioner for Purposeful Impact”. Through self-assessment, powerful metaphors, and practical wellness tools, participants will explore how mindset, boundaries, and community support sustainable practice. Attendees will learn to identify personal energy patterns, distinguish burnout from resilience, and create a personalized refueling plan grounded in actionable habits. They will leave grounded, refueled, and equipped to support students with clarity, balance, and authenticity.

Not registered yet? Secure your spot today: https://ocdaonline.org/registration